Night 1 Story
Van Helsing had chosen one of the chapels as the most likely place to begin his investigation. He struggled to see everything as night descended, and soon it was pitch black around him. He did not fear the demons of the night anymore, but he felt an odd chill that gave him goosebumps with every step he took into the chapel. He was certain of it: There was either Tomatoist or vampire activity here. He soon stopped walking when he noticed there was another presence in the room with him, and crouched down behind a church bench. He was glad not to have lit a torch yet.
He saw only black robes and a hood from his vantage point, but strangely, he sensed no malevolence from the figure coming towards him. The figure spoke out: "You need not fear me, whoever you are. I sense you and I are here for similar reasons this night." Van Helsing had learned to trust his intuition over the years, so he revealed himself. "And what purpose is that, if I may ask?
The figure responded calmly: "Did you not come here to identify the Tomatoists?"
Not exactly, Van Helsing thought. But it was close enough. "Indeed I did." He rose from behind the bench and began moving closer to the figure. "My name is Van Helsing. Might I know your name?"
He was met by pure silence for a span of time, and he could sense some unease, even though he could see the man's face. "No. I do not think that would be wise. Names have power, and you should not offer yours so freely."
The figure sat down in a nearby bench, and motioned for Van Helsing to join him. "And you are not being completely honest with me, either. I could sense your hesitation before you answered me. You might be an ally, but I sense an altogether different purpose has brought you here." The man did not sound like he was accusing Van Helsing. He sounded curious, rather than apprehensive.
Van Helsing chose not to respond to the implied question. "Perhaps. Although I'm beginning to think the enemies we're searching for are not all that different."
The man revealed his lips for the barest moment, and Van Helsing could see an unmistakable smile in that instant. "Ah. So that's it. You're here for the vampire."
Van Helsing was taken aback. "You know about Count Dracula?"
The man sounded a bit uncertain. "I am not sure if the vampire's name is Dracula, but from what I've found in my investigation, a vampire killed one of the Tomatoists involved in the murder of the pope."
This did not make any sense to Van Helsing. "Why would a vampire kill a Tomatoist? They both serve the devil!"
The man gave a visible shrug. "I don't know. Right now, all I care about is that the vampire seems to have it in for the Tomatoists, the same way I do. If I should encounter it, I will probably kill it, but until then, it is an unlikely ally."
Van Helsing suddenly realised how foolish it had been for him to come here on the back of a prophecy. He had been so sure of himself on his way here, and yet everything he'd heard today had run counter to his expectations. Searching desperately for something else to occupy his mind, he asked the man what he had hoped to find in the chapel. "When the time is right, our Lord will reveal who I need to cage tonight. That person cannot be harmed, and will not be able to inflict harm upon anyone else."
Van Helsing was reasonably certain that this man had to be part of the clergy, but he did not know the type of protection the man spoke of. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. What do you mean 'cage' them?"
For the second time, Van Helsing could see the man's wry smile. "You'll see."
Elsewhere, Elena was investigating a library where she sensed a strange presence. It was not a good presence, but neither was it completely evil. She had barely made it three steps into the building when the world went black, and she got lifted high into the air by massive claws. It was so sudden and violent that she could not even muster a scream, and a second later, she was perched in a balcony overlooking the entire library, with a man's hand over her mouth. "You are not a Tomatoist, but I will kill you all the same if you dare to scream." Elena's heart was ready to jump out of her chest, but she sensed that, despite the stranger's words, he meant her no harm. She nodded.
"Good," the man said, letting go of her mouth. He had a very eloquent voice, and Elena thought it sounded familiar. "A vampire hunter, here of all places. You're either very brave or very stupid."
Before she could respond, a figure with a red cloak came marching into the library, and the eloquent stranger left her side in a whoosh of air. He's a vampire, her brain finally registered. She knew instantly that he must have been the count, because no other vampire would have been able to sneak up on her like that. And yet, from what her father had told her, he was a demon who had no remorse and showed no mercy to any of his victims, barring that night twelve years ago. And it wasn't as if the count could recognise her. So why did he show mercy to her now, even as he correctly identified her as a vampire hunter?
She hesitated for the briefest moment, and then she pulled out her father's coin and pressed it between her palms as he had instructed. Her curiousity did not overpower her caution. Not yet, at least.
Van Helsing felt the burning in his pocket instantly, and took the coin out of his pocket before fastening it to a necklace. The unknown clergyman watched this transpire with only the slightest hint of surprise. "A locator charm. Impressive."
Van Helsing would ask him how he knew that later, but for now, he focused all his attention on the direction the coin would point in. When it came to a stand-still, he motioned to the clergyman and simply asked: "What's in that direction?"
The clergyman got off his seat and immediately entered a steady run. "That would be the library."
Van Helsing followed his lead.
Dracula watched the red cloak from high over head, and could feel that all-too-familiar hunger burning inside him once more. How easy it would be for him to kill this man. How delightful the blood of a priest always tasted...
But no. He had overcome these urges years ago. He still could not bring himself to pray, and did not care about human lives in general. He had seen them as little more than cattle for far too long to grow any sort of concern for them. But these days, he hunted servants of his erstwhile master, the devil, exclusively. It was the only thing that could keep Jonathan Harker's reflection from looking back at him every time he stood in front of a mirror. He also refused to be a pawn in either the Lord or the devil's plans any longer.
He was just wondering how much longer he would have to wait for his quarry to take the bait, when a violent jolt from the man in red caught his attention. Behind him, a Tomatoist came charging with his blade drawn, and the unmistakable sigil of the devil burned red hot on the handle. Dracula descended instantly to overwhelm his prey, but when he was merely inches away, a violent explosion rocked the entire library, and a bliding white aura surrounded the man with the red cloak. Dracula was flung to the side of the church, and he heard a loud voice proclaim: "Begone, ye servants of evil. You will not touch this man, for he is under our Lord's protection, and neither cursed blade nor bloody claw may do him harm."
The Tomatoist suddenly pressed the blade against his own flesh, made a deep cut, and then vanished as swiftly as he had arrived. Dracula had served the devil himself, but he did not know such a thing was possible. He could not ponder this for long, because an old voice rang out suddenly: "There! That is count Dracula! This is the vampire I came here to slay."
Dracula didn't think such a thing was actually possible, but his prey had escaped, and so too did his reason for being here. He simply got up, gave a derisive laugh, and assumed his bat form. He was flying out of the library before Van Helsing could even pull out his knife.
Overlooking all, Elena began contemplating how she could possibly tell her father about what had transpired.
The following people are still alive, and no one was killed at night! A great victory for Town, to be sure.
